By Kisean Joseph
The Air Wing Unit in the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force (ABDF) completed more than 40 missions in 2024, including medical evacuations, regional disaster response, and support to government agencies, according to its commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Alando Michael.
Lt Col Michael told Observer the unit conducted approximately 20 medical evacuations and provided assistance to non-governmental organizations and government institutions in 17 instances throughout the year.
There were also critical evacuations to Guadeloupe for hyperbaric treatment, in addition to three search and rescue operations.
“We do things like medivacs – medical evacuations, mostly from Barbuda,” Lt Col Michael explained. “We have transported troops and also assisted other NGOs and other parts of the government in the transportation of persons or equipment,” he said.
The commanding officer also said that the Air Wing’s drone unit was deployed to provide support when the neighbouring islands of Bequia and Grenada were impacted by Hurricane Beryl last year.
Meanwhile, the unit faces ongoing challenges in maintaining its operations.
“Spares are costly, fuel is costly. Trying to maintain the safety of the operation is a challenge,” he said. “As you know, there are no side roads to pull off, and so safety is a major concern. And to do that, it requires quite a lot of input: financial and human capital.”
For this year, the Air Wing is focussing on enhancing its surveillance capabilities, particularly for search and rescue operations. This comes in the wake of a recent incident where three fishermen from Barbuda were lost at sea.
“We are hoping to have better results,” Michael said. “It is a matter of trying to improve on our capabilities as we go along … we are hoping really to build on what we started.”
The unit works closely with other departments within the ABDF, including the Coast Guard and medical departments. As a part of the overall development plan of the force this integration is proving crucial in executing the force’s broader mission of protecting and serving the nation, Michael added.
To overcome operational challenges, the Air Wing has implemented fuel conservation measures and invested in personnel training.
“We have been able to overcome by frugal spending; by training our personnel as best as possible to enable us to be able to maintain that height,” Michael explained.
As part of its ongoing development, the unit maintains an active recruitment drive. The ABDF offers opportunities for personal and professional development, including educational advancement at various levels.